Petarmor vs. Frontline for Dogs

When it comes to your dog’s health, the most common concern is a flea or tick invasion. No matter how much our little ones are bathed kept clean, fleas and ticks still have a nasty habit of making their way to our canines.

With so many products in the market claiming to kill fleas and ticks, pet parents must do their due diligence in researching those products to find the one that is most consistent, safe, approved by veterinarians and approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).

Most flea & tick medications can be sold over the counter while others require a prescription from your canine’s veterinarian. However, although buying these over the counter brands seem a great idea, you should seek the advice of a vet prior to administering it to your little one.

Pet Armor and Frontline are two of the most popular over the counter flea and tick preventative medications. In addition, both brands sell shampoos, sprays, tablets, and topical for dogs.

PetArmor

PetArmor promises to work with authorized sellers in order to provide exceptional service and enforce the integrity of their product. Their topical and medications are guaranteed to work fast and are easy to use. Their vet-quality formula starts killing off fleas, ticks, and larvae within 24 hours after it’s applied. Sometimes, however, it will take up to 48 hours for full results.

PetArmor Ingredients

The main active ingredients are fipronil and methoprene. Fipronil, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved insecticide that destroys the central nervous systems of insects. When fleas, ticks or lice come in contact with this insecticide, their nervous system is paralyzed. This results in their death and the break up of the flea cycle by killing their larvae and eggs.

The USEPA has determined fipronil to be safe for use on dogs and carts, with no harm to humans who hand these products.

When to Apply PetArmor

You can start treating your dog with PetArmor when your canine is eight weeks or older. The medication is distributed according to a dog’s weight. After your vet has approved PetArmor for your dog, he or she will determine the dose. Once administered, the medication remains active in your dog’s body for 30 days. It becomes waterproof 24 hours after it’s applied.

How to Apply PetArmor

Apply the topical solution between your dog’s shoulder blades. Begin by separating your canine’s fur and squeezing the solution onto your dog’s skin. Make sure to avoid any contact with the area treated until it dries.

Frontline

Frontline is also sold over the counter at many consumer stores. Prior to 2008, frontline was sold only via the prescription of a veterinarian. Because of the latter, Frontline has been one of the leading flea and tick preventative brands for over 20 years.

Frontline Ingredients

Frontline’s active formula is fipronil which kills flea, ticks, lice, and mites. It also uses Methoprene to destroy flea eggs and larvae.

When to Apply Frontline

Frontline must be applied to puppies eight weeks or older. The medication is distributed according to a dog’s weight. After your vet has approved PeArmor for your dog, he/she will determine the correct dose. Once administered, the dose lasts 30 days after it’s applied and it becomes waterproof 24 hours after it has been applied.

How to Apply Frontline

Apply the topical solution between your dog’s shoulder blades. Begin by separating your canine’s fur and squeezing the solution onto your dog’s skin. Make sure to avoid any contact with the area treated until it dries.

Major Comparisons Between Frontline and PetArmor

Upon researching both products, I found Frontline to have the highest recommendation. According to pets.org, Frontline has the least customer complaints. The biggest concern some customers have had is that fleas have become resistant to the drug and others claimed that some dogs have had negative reactions to the medication.

There is truth to this concern. Harley used Frontline since she was a pup. However, when she turned 12 Frontline no longer worked for her. Those nasty fleas came back within a week, so her vet prescribed a different medication.

PetArmor, on the other hand, has many negative reviews.

PetArmor is considered a generic knock-off of Frontline that sells at a cheaper consumer price. Although PetArmor claims to use the same ingredients (fipronil and methoprene) as Frontline, scientists found that the inactive ingredients were not. It has a 50-60% customer dissatisfaction rate from many online outlets across the country.

More importantly, FidoPharm, Inc., PetArmor’s manufacturer, was sued in a class action lawsuit by customers that complaint PeArmor caused severe injury to their pets immediately after applying their product.

Based on the aforementioned, Frontline seems to be the better product.

Signs of Irritation & Adverse Reactions

Imagine a paper cut or acid burn on your skin – the red, inflamed bump that swells up. That is how your dog looks and feels when allergic or if they’re having a bad reaction to the medication.

Signs of irritation and or adverse reactions to some ingredients include but are not limited to red spots, flaky skin, and red burnt skin that causes your dog to desperately scratch for relief. Some canines hopelessly run and rub the applied area on any surface. It is not a pretty sight and very frightening because your dog will also begin to cry.

Before you apply any flea or tick medication for your best friend, make sure the ingredients in the medication are not harmful to your dog. Sick and aged canines have compromised immune systems, so they may not be able to take the drug. Therefore, I recommend you check with your canine’s vet first prior to applying the topical and/or oral solution.

Whichever product you chose for your little one, it is imperative that you remember to wait 30 days before applying the topical solution or oral medication as well. Most cases of topical insecticide poisoning are caused by a dog parent’s negligence of overdosing their pet.

Keep in mind that some dogs are extremely allergic or have horrid reactions to Frontline and PerArmor. So, it’s important to keep an eye out for any signs of irritation after administering these drugs. By doing so, you’ll have the best interest of your furry best friend and their trust.